Councilor Biancareddu: free access and more places in graduate schools
SASSARI. Few doctors, general practitioners and specialists, very few pediatricians, unguarded medical guards and distressed emergency departments in all the hospitals: «And what do we do? Still, despite the alarming situation, which emerged in all its gravity during the Covid pandemic, we keep the number limited for admission to the Faculty of Medicine and health professions. We are still hanging on to a decision taken years ago, in a very different context from the current one, and we do not realize that it is time to make different choices ». The regional councilor for public education Andrea Biancareddu has no doubts: «The limited number must be abolished. For two reasons: the first is that there is a huge need for doctors and nurses, the second is that it cannot be a general knowledge entrance test that determines whether a boy can become a good health professional or not ». Biancareddu makes a premise: «On the matter the decisions are up to the national government, since the closed number was introduced with the national law 264 of 1999.
And the problem is not only Sardinian but present in other Regions, even if perhaps it is felt to a greater extent on the island due to the difficulties in turnover and the few places in specialization schools. But it is precisely from the Regions that the imput to the Government must arrive: on the issue the debate is open, President Solinas and the councilor for health Nieddu think exactly like me. And there are already bills filed in Parliament by representatives of various parties: it is essential to urge the Government to intervene ». The possibilities could be two and both provide, in addition to the abolition of the access test for enrollment, the increase of places in specialization schools and subsequent contracts, so as to mitigate the training funnel that sees many young doctors stopped in Park bench. “I think anyone who feels a passion for medicine should be able to try to become a doctor. It cannot be a test, with questions that have nothing to do with health care, to break the dream of many. Much better, however, to follow the example of other European countries, such as France, where the selection is made only after enrollment: after about a year, students are subjected to tests to evaluate their preparation, those who pass them continue on. , those who can’t make it choose a different path. Or you could decide to do an experiment, eliminating the limited number for a certain number of years, for example ten, and at the expiry decide whether to go on or not. In any case, we cannot ignore it because the problem is destined to explode ».
Councilor Biancareddu recalls that during the Covid emergency the shortage of doctors and nurses has led “to recall many retirees to work and to field many newly graduated professionals”. And he also stresses that the pandemic emergency has awakened an already strong love for medicine, “with so many young people who want to wear a lab coat to do such a precious job”. Confirmation from the numbers of participants in the entrance tests at the Universities of Sassari and Cagliari: respectively 635 and 1400 compared to 143 and 240 places available in the two universities. «And there is to consider the quota of admitted from other Regions who return home after graduation. A serious damage to our health system – concludes Biancareddu – afflicted by a void of staff that we must try to fill ».